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2007 Assessment

Armenia: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Armenia: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Whistle-blowing Measures
Indicators		Score
45	Are employees protected from recrimination or other negative consequences when reporting corruption (i.e. whistle-blowing)?	0
46	In law, is there an internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption?	0
47	In practice, is the internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption effective?	0

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Are employees protected from recrimination or other negative consequences when reporting corruption (i.e. whistle-blowing)?

45a: In law, civil servants who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: There are no legal provisions protecting whistleblowers working in the public sector.

45b: In practice, civil servants who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

100

Comments: There are no protection mechanisms for whsitleblowers in Armenia. There is not even a law on the protection of the witness.

References: Interview with Karen Zadoyan, president of the Armenian Young Lawyers Association (July 23, 2007, at his office)

45c: In law, private sector employees who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: There are no legal provisions for private-sector whistleblowers.

45d: In practice, private sector employees who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

100

Comments: Private-sector employees are also facing substantial negative consequences because of reporting about cases of corruption. For example, the director and two other employees of Royal Armenia Ltd. were imprisoned for having reported on corruption of the Customs Services. Only recently the court made a verdict of not guilty on this case.

References: Interview with Vakhtang Siradegyan, media contact at Transparency International Armenia, (August 2, 2007, at office) Media reports

In law, is there an internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption?

46: In law, is there an internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption?

Score:

YES

Comments: Such mechanisms (like a phone hotline) are functioning at the Ministry of Education and Science for students and other citizens. However, in real life this is not effective.

References: There are no internal mechanisms through which civil servants can report corruption.

Peer Review Comments: Some of the institutions, like the offices of the governors of Shirak and Lori regions, have set a hotline service on their initiative. It is for the general public, though, and not for civil servants specifically. And they are not required by the law.

In practice, is the internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption effective?

47a: In practice, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption has a professional, full-time staff.

Score:

100

Comments: There is no such kind of mechanism.

References: Interview with Vache Kalashyan, president of the Union of Civil Servants, member of Governance Reforms of the Republic of Armenia (August 3, 2007, at his office)

47b: In practice, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption receives regular funding.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Interview with Vache Kalashyan, president of the Union of Civil Servants, member of Governance Reforms of the Republic of Armenia (August 3, 2007, at his office)

47c: In practice, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption acts on complaints within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments: No such kind of agency/entity exists.

References: Interview with Vache Kalashyan, president of the Union of Civil Servants, member of Governance Reforms of the Republic of Armenia (August 3, 2007, at his office)

47d: In practice, when necessary, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption initiates investigations.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: When irregularities are discovered, the agency/entity is aggressive in investigating the government or in cooperating with other agencies\' investigations. <p>50 Score Criteria: The agency/entity starts investigations, but is limited in its effectiveness. The agency/entity may be slow to act, unwilling to take on politically powerful offenders, reluctant to cooperate with other investigative agencies, or occasionally unable to enforce its judgments. <p>0 Score Criteria: The agency/entity does not effectively investigate. The agency/entity may start investigations but not complete them, may refuse to cooperate with other investigative agencies, or may fail to detect offenders. The agency/entity may be partisan in its application of power.$

Comments: No agency/entity exists and none investigates corruption cases.

References: Interview with Vache Kalashyan, president of the Union of Civil Servants, member of Governance Reforms of the Republic of Armenia (August 3, 2007, at his office)